XJ550 (re)build

Thank you! I've been reading up on pod versus airbox discussion on the forums here, and it seems an airbox is the way to go. Unfortunately, I can't seem to find one anywhere! What I'm currently thinking is some kind of bread box (a new term I learned today) based on the this part of the original design:



So, using parts 1-2-3-4-6-7-9 coming from the carbs, fabbing a plate onto that to house them and the filter and have it feed from the left side if possible. Does that seem like crazy talk? It would at least be better than pods by restricting the air flow, right? My biggest problem right now is that I don't have an original to examine and measure to use a guide (and steal while the owner isn't looking).

 

crazy talk? you are looking at the front manifold to carb boots with those part numbers , parts 1-2-3-4-6-7-9
7 and 9 are carb to airbox boots and clamps.

 

Well, you never guess what I found at a wreckers in the next country over ... Now I just hope they got the model right.

 

Today, using the technique from the video XJ550H kindly provided, I cleaned up the airbox I got from the wreckers. My bike might not be running atm, but it has got the smoothest airbox now! Took my a couple of hours (and a lot of elbow grease) but it cleaned up nicely. It's colour faded now, however, so I'll have to see to paint it. Also, I'll have to patch a hole where the filter panel is, a piece of the housing was cracked off. I'll have to look at some of the seams, too. Still, the boots some in decent shape.

 

Just checked what it would cost to get all new boots, clamps, gaskets, joints etc. for my airbox and it came to almost €460.

 

Ouch, that is pricy. I have not looked into replacing those. I did like your idea of shortening the box

 

How much is a new bike in comparison?

 

Yeah, I know. And I'll get the new parts in the end, because that's one less thing to worry about. I just assumed it'd be cheaper. Oh well ...

 

The PO replaced the side panels with custom ones. Looks cool, only he half-assed the job like he did everything else on this bike. They were also limiting the available space for reinstalling the factory airbox and the electrical system. The boogerwelds were really rustling my jimmies, too.

Before:


After:


I also removed the carbs (they were already cleaned and sync'd by a mecanic so I won't touch them - for the time-being). I don't think I'll need to replace the intake boots.

 

That fella sure did use a lot of metal just to hold some sidepanels on.
Had he never seen tabs before?

 

You can always try the 'boil in Wintergreeen' trick to make the rubber parts supple - works for a few weeks at least.

 

Ordered a complete engine rebuild kit from Chacal. It's due to arrive in the coming week(s), so I can get started on tearing it down first. Pretty scary since I'm a total noob at this stuff but the Haynes manual (supplemented with Google/Youtube) is providing me with a plan!

Removed the carbs, clutch assembly, stator, alternator and got started on the top of the engine.



This just look nasty!:



These sparkplugs have about 300 kilometers on them (185 freedom units). The ones from cylinder 2 & 3 were also darker than the ones from 1 & 4.




The good work will continue tomorow (hopefully).

 

Please, please, please stay away from Youtube for anything but general help (and be cautious even then). Very little of what is on there is accurate, pertinent, and XJ specific. I don't have enough body parts to cound the number of times we've had to help unfix something somebody learned how to "fix" from a Youtube video.


The stator is supposed to look like that. The Laquer used on the windings isn't meant to be pretty. It's there for functiom. DO NOT clean it off.
Any oil can be cleaned off with electric motor cleaner (not contact cleaner).


The plugs are all a bit rich, but not horribly so.

 

That's solid advice, imo. I don't use YT as my go-to help channel for my bike (I have this forum and my Clymer for that) and when I do, I try to be critical of what they're saying. But sometimes it's handy, like how to get a clutch assembly without a clutch removal tool (I used a leash to wind around it to give friction).

Good to know, thank you!

 

Save one steel and one friction plate.
Drill two holes in each plate 180º apart. Drill a flat steel bar to the same spacing. Bolt them all together.
You now have one, nearly free, clutch basket tool


[EDIT] the hole spacing is not 180º. you need the bar to be offest from the center of the clutch plates to provide clearance to undo the center nut.

borrowed pic to show the bar placement. the tool is missing a plate.

 

Too funny!

 

Remind me again why you are looking to rebuild the motor. Has it done inter-galactic miles? lousy compression readings??

 

At least 65000 kilometers (+- 40000 miles) - that I know of. The gauge with the odometer wasn't stock so your guess is as good as mine. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Couple of reasons:
- I need to check valve lash, so I needed to open the engine anyway.
- The bike suffers from POS (= previous owner syndrome) so I want to be sure everything is okay. Something worth doing is something worth doing well.
- Part of the reason of buying an old bike was wanting to learn to wrench on them. Mission accomplished so far.

 

At that mileage I wouldn't be bothering unless it shows signs of needing it, low compression, using oil etc, they easily do 2 or 3 times that without needing rebuilds unless it's been subject to serious abuse

 

For the valve clearance (lash) you only need to take off the rocker cover (your top picture) obnvce that is done I would check compression. If all ok then 'job's a good un' .
I'm all for a bit of learning but taking apart a good engine could prove folly. Even if you do find something slightly out of spec, say worn bores. Do you really want to fork out 500+ Euros for a rebore, assuming you can even find oversized pistons? For learning buy a ratty chinko 125 (CG125 wannabe) cheap parts and no big deal if you screw something up.

BTW form what I have seen it loks like the PO only messed about with the cosmetics and electrics. By all means fix that first and if the engine later proves to be trouble then you can start stripping down if yu think that's economical to do.